Timothy Johnson Receives President's Award for Distinguished Service in International Education

Curiosity. The will to serve. These desires define the paths taken by the 2022 recipients of the University of Michigan’s President’s Award for Distinguished Service in International Education.

For the first time, the University of Michigan recognizes both a faculty member and a staff member for outstanding efforts to advance international education and create an ideal environment in which all students thrive: Center member Timothy R. B. Johnson, an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and women’s and gender studies; and Judith Pennywell, director of the University of Michigan’s International Center.

“Timothy Johnson has given our students life-changing international experiences while elevating Michigan’s role as a welcoming partner in global collaborations, particularly through his work in Ghana,” said university president Mary Sue Coleman. “For Michigan’s international students, Judith Pennywell has been a tireless advocate, supporting them on their journeys to the United States and fostering their well-being when they join our community.

“Both recipients have advanced international education and outreach for our students while also strengthening Michigan’s global presence.”

A Ghana Love Story

Faculty awardee Timothy Johnson’s commitment and advocacy for international students ignited in 1986 when he traveled to Ghana as part of an initial group of Americans to reestablish relationships in medicine, specifically in obstetrics and gynecology.

“I had an opportunity to give a talk on safe motherhood, and it was a transformational moment for me,” Johnson said. “The very first day I was in Ghana, I went to morning report. The report said they had a busy night and 10 maternal deaths. These were women who died from bleeding since there was no blood bank. Women would have hemorrhages and high blood pressure that they couldn’t control. They had strokes and died. Those were all diseases we could control here."

“They needed people who could train ob/gyn health workers to save women’s lives. So I said, ‘I know how to do that. My expertise is training medical students.'”

Thus began a steady, fruitful partnership with colleagues in Ghana that continues after 36 years.

During Johnson’s career at Michigan, he has mentored hundreds of undergraduate students, medical students, residents and fellows—in the US and Ghana. Most of his mentees continue his international legacy as faculty, effectively multiplying his impact on global health. More than 50 publications have documented Johnson’s unique program development, bidirectional pedagogical approach, and ethical grounding.

For Dee Fenner, chair of the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Johnson’s conceptual framework of sustained academic partnership has made the University of Michigan a role model in Africa.

“Dr. Johnson’s service to global health and his commitment to ideals of trust, sustainability, mutual respect, accountability, and leadership laid the groundwork for Michigan’s international education programs,” Fenner said.

The Multiplier Effect

Global REACH associate director Cheryl Moyer has worked closely with Johnson for nearly 20 years. His encouragement generated her first research project in Ghana in the late 2000s.

“I can safely say I have never met anyone so ready and willing to go out on a limb for trainees he may barely know, all to ensure they have an excellent international educational experience,” Moyer said.

Johnson’s commitment to providing a quality exchange between Michigan and Ghana has never wavered. On average, the university sends 10 medical students per year to Ghana for a month, with twice as many Ghanaian medical students visiting Michigan.

“This embodied a different approach to global engagement that remains to this day: prioritizing our partners’ needs alongside our own,” Moyer said.

Moyer said that one of the most notable aspects of Johnson’s legacy is his inimitable talent for making connections and creating opportunities for learners at all levels.

“I cannot count the number of times a student has come forward and said, “I would like to do X in Ghana. Is that possible?” she said. “Invariably, Tim begins listing people the student should connect with, sending emails and making phone calls to ensure the student has a foothold and can make it happen, putting his stamp of approval on projects to guarantee their success.”

Johnson completed his residency at the University of Michigan Health System in obstetrics and gynecology in 1979 and said he couldn’t be more grateful to receive this award toward the end of his career.

“I’ve been the luckiest person in the world to be able to do what I do,” he said. “I’ve been able to teach and I’ve been able to train people to become teachers. So this is a story about multiplier effect.”